Declan McDonogh© Photo Healy Racing
Trainer John Oxx and stable jockey Declan McDonogh combined for their second successive maiden win in as many days when Famous Pearl landed the concluding Tote Maiden at Leopardstown today.
McDonogh steered Oxx’s Night Of Power to win a maiden at Dundalk yesterday and today revealed plans to race-ride in Australia this winter. The former Champion Jockey was today also gaining a minor measure of compensation on Famous Pearl having earlier lost the Listed Knockaire Stakes in the Stewards’ Room, on demoted Larchmont Lad
Following Famous Pearl’s win, Oxx stated “she's been trying for a bit but she's had her little soundness issues
“She started off looking like she'd be very promising and we had some good entries for her but she just ran into trouble.
“She's come right in the last while and when they've had some soundness issues, you're inclined to think they'll need soft ground. We've run her twice recently on very heavy ground but she just couldn't handle it and today is not good ground, it's soft but it's not bottomless and I think that made a difference to her.
“Thank goodness she's won because she has ability- she's not a bad animal by any means and is smart enough if she was sound enough. That's it's now and I'd say she'll probably be covered in the spring.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
